Devils forward Ryan Carter comes back to haunt former team

The Panthers cut Carter in October and he scores game-winner Friday night

April 14, 2012|By Harvey Fialkov, Sun Sentinel

SUNRISE — New Jersey Devils forward Ryan Carter could've gloated after notching the first postseason game-winning goal of his career in Friday's 3-2 victory over the Panthers.

But he didn't.

After all, he was waived by the Panthers on Oct. 25, just seven games into his season. He was quickly scooped up by the Devils after coach Pete DeBoer recommended him to GM Lou Lamoriello.

"It seems like an eternity ago. No ill feelings, no extra jam there,'' said Carter, 28. "I'm happy for them to make the playoffs. It's good for the game, good for the market. The crowd showed up last night and it was fun to see. They were loud, they were into it. The atmosphere was intense. It was fun playing.

"New Jersey is a great organization to play for.''

DeBoer, the Panthers coach for the previous three seasons, loved Carter's versatility and work ethic when he played for him for 12 games last season after Panthers GM Dale Tallon had left him with mostly AHLers after a trade deadline fire sale that freed up a lot of salary-cap funds.

"He was one of our bright spots,'' DeBoer said after New Jersey's Saturday afternoon's optional practice at the BankAtlantic Center. "He's the one guy who came in here and really worked and played right to the last game of the season and played the right way.

"I thought he was a good fit. Lou agreed. We're happy we got him. He's a real versatile guy for us. He filled in at center, he filled in on wing, he scrapped, kills penalties and chipped in with some goals lately.''

None bigger than his first-period wrist shot that he got off after leaving Ed Jovanovski in his wake to give the Devils a 3-0 cushion just 45 seconds after Dainius Zubrus' goal. It turned out the Devils would need Carter's third postseason goal, but first since he scored two for the Anaheim Ducks in the 2008-09 playoffs.

Carter, who had four goals and four assists with a minus-12 as well as 84 penalty minutes in 65 games for New Jersey, plays on the Devils' fourth line with another former Panther castoff, Steve Bernier.

"[DeBoer] gave me an opportunity,'' Carter said. "He didn't have to. I appreciate it. It's been rewarding to get to play now in a scenario like this in games on the biggest stage of the season.''

Carter was already on the Devils by the time the Panthers staged their first three-goal regulation comeback victory ever over New Jersey on Nov. 21, but he knew firsthand what they were capable of.

"We knew there'd be some intensity in the building and with them off the bat we knew we'd have to come out hard to match it. We did that and that's what gave us success,'' Carter said of the Devils' quick start. "They pushed back again. There's no question when you go down 3-0 they probably got an earful after the first period and they were going to come out with some energy.

"We kind of got away from what we were doing and got ourselves in some penalty trouble and they capitalized. That's a skilled, fast team and if you trade chances up and down the ice they'll make you pay.''